"Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality" // 102:365

“承诺应该是一份礼物，而不是拴住彼此的枷锁”
Promises/commitments should be a gift, and not being tied to each other's chain.

Usually when we make a promise, we ought to deliver what the promise says. However, is the promise given willingly or does it just adds on to the burden you already have, and you're just keeping the promises you've made because you promised?

I realised we take things for granted; promises, commitments, people, things around us. We promise whenever we can. we commit whenever we can, we love people and the things around us whenever we can, but once we lose them, we regret & we get hurt. I feel that promises are supposed to be given willingly, confidently, and not making a promise we are unsure of, that makes us being forced to keep the promise, and hence tying one another up.

There's a big difference in trying to keep the promise, for the sake of the promise and keeping the promise because you want to keep it. Same goes for commitments as well as everything.

Keeping someone by your side, is it because you are obliged to take care of them/be by their side, or you want him/her to be with you? 

Sometimes, i feel that one should not do something out of a sense of obligation. For instance, you once said to someone you will stay by their side forever willingly, and as time passed, you don't feel the same anymore but you feel that you are obliged to keep your words, and stay by their side, hence you did. unwillingly. Your body is there but your heart/soul isn't, then what's the point? This goes to taking care of our parents as well. We shouldn't feel like we are obliged to take care of them, but we should be willing to take care of them because we love them.

But sometimes, i feel the opposite.

You don't want to do something, but you feel that it is only right if you do it. And if you don't, things will not be the same, or it would lead to an outcome that you wouldn't want instead.